Lamai Serengeti - out of this world

“Wonderful experience in a beautiful camp” - KI-NRT

Reviewed January 25, 2012 on Trip Advisor

The location of this place is out of this world. It's situated high atop a beautiful "Kopje" (rocky hill), the view from the camp (and rooms) is amazing - you can literally see the vast Serengeti plains for miles. The morning sunrise is a spectacle to behold, and it's replete with thousands of Wildebeest as far as the eye can see.

Unlike other areas within the Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara, this area (referred to as "Kogatende") is very remote, with very few camps. Meaning that tourists are very few in number, giving you a sense of being one with nature. Rarely did we ever run across other vehicles during our game drives.

Lamai Serengeti itself is, as the previous poster stated, understated luxury. The natural materials and colors used for the lodge blends in beautifully with the environment. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable with all of the amenities that you'd want in a high specification safari lodge. The food at Lamai is healthy and delicious as well - lunch is buffet-style, whereas for dinner you'll be served an appetizer, salad and a choice from several entrees, all done amazingly well.

We stayed at Lamai in the middle of the migration season and were able to see the Wildebeest crossings every single day... an awe-inspiring spectacle to say the least! In addition, we saw numerous lions, leopards, cheetas, giraffes... basically, everything that anyone would hope to see at a Tanzanian safari. Our guide Philip was knowledgeable, friendly, and - because we arranged a private tour - he was able to cater to our every whim.

One other benefit of this part of the Serengeti is that you're allowed out of the Land Cruiser, which is prohibited in most parts of Tanzania. You'll definitely want to walk around after hours and hours of being on bumpy game drives.

The lodge itself, as well as the location, staff, guides, activities and food made our stay an unforgettable one. It's not cheap, but for a once-in-a-lifetime trip (although we're not sure about that anymore, as far as we're concerned!), we highly recommend Lamai. It should be on the short list for anyone looking for an authentic and comfortable safari experience.